The Old Guard

The potential is there, but this film really (really) needed a better director. Companies like Netflix are constantly breaking down the barriers between TV and film, but when you have a flagship fantasy/action feature like The Old Guard that looks like a 2-hour TV episode, something is not right.

The setup is interesting enough. A team of (virtually) immortal guns of hire carries out missions to better humankind. The lore isn't fully developed, no doubt that's intentional (it's clear they have a sequel in mind), but whatever information is given adds to the intrigue and there are some interesting details that set is apart from similar stories.

The direction is dire though. The action scenes look dull, the camera work is extremely poor and the action choreography is rather boring. As a result, the film lacks flair and identity. Performances are at least decent and the pacing is solid too, so let's hope they find someone better to lead the sequel.